Editing Inanna (section)

== Syncretism and influence on other deities ==
In addition to the full conflation of Inanna and Ishtar during the reign of Sargon and his successors,{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=62}} she was [[Religious syncretism|syncretised]] with a large number of deities{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=109}} to a varying degree. The oldest known syncretic hymn is dedicated to Inanna,{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=48}} and has been dated to the [[Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia)|Early Dynastic period]].{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=100}} Many god lists compiled by ancient scribes contained entire "Inanna group" sections enumerating similar goddesses,{{sfnp|Behrens|Klein|1998|p=345}} and tablet IV of the monumental god list ''An-Anum'' (7 tablets total) is known as the "Ishtar tablet" due to most of its contents being the names of Ishtar's equivalents, her titles and various attendants.{{sfnp|Litke|1998|p=148}} Some modern researchers use the term ''Ishtar-type'' to define specific figures of this variety.{{sfnp|Beckman|1999|p=26}}{{sfnp|Beckman|2002|p=37}} Some texts contained references to "all the Ishtars" of a given area.{{sfnp|Beckman|1998|p=4}}

In later periods Ishtar's name was sometimes used as a generic term ("goddess") in Babylonia, while a logographic writing of Inanna was used to spell the title ''Bēltu'', leading to further conflations.{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=110-111}} A possible example of such use of the name is also known from [[Elam]], as a single Elamite inscription written in Akkadian  refers to "[[Manzat (goddess)|Manzat]]-Ishtar", which might in this context mean "the goddess Manzat".{{sfnp|Potts|2010|p=487}}

=== Specific examples ===
;[[Ashtart]]: In cities like [[Mari, Syria|Mari]] and [[Ebla]], the Eastern and Western Semitic forms of the name (Ishtar and Ashtart) were regarded as basically interchangeable.{{sfnp|Smith|2014|p=35}} However, the western goddess evidently lacked the astral character of Mesopotamian Ishtar.{{sfnp|Smith|2014|p=36}} [[Ugarit]]ic god lists and ritual texts equate the local Ashtart with both Ishtar and Hurrian Ishara.{{sfnp|Smith|2014|p=39, 74–75}}
;[[Išḫara|Ishara]]: Due to association with Ishtar,{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=134}} the Syrian goddess Ishara started to be regarded as a "lady of love" like her (and Nanaya) in Mesopotamia.{{sfnp|Murat|2009|p=176}}{{sfnp|Wiggermann|2010|p=417}} However, in Hurro-Hittite context Ishara was associated with the underworld goddess [[Allani]] instead and additionally functioned as a goddess of oaths.{{sfnp|Murat|2009|p=176}}{{sfnp|Taracha|2009|p=124, 128}}
;[[Nanaya]]: A goddess uniquely closely linked to Inanna, as according to assyriologist Frans Wiggermann her name was originally an epithet of Inanna (possibly serving as an appellative, "My Inanna!").{{sfnp|Wiggermann|2010|p=417}} Nanaya was associated with erotic love, but she eventually developed a warlike aspect of her own too ("Nanaya Euršaba").{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=282}} In [[Larsa]] Inanna's functions were effectively split between three separate figures and she was worshipped as part of a trinity consisting out of herself, Nanaya (as a love goddess) and [[Ninsianna]] (as an astral goddess).{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=92}} Inanna/Ishtar and Nanaya were often accidentally or intentionally conflated in poetry.{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=116-117; 120}}
;[[Ninegal]]: While she was initially an independent figure, starting with Old Babylonian period in some texts "Ninegal" is used as a title of Inanna, and in god lists she was a part of the "Inanna group" usually alongside [[Ninsianna]].{{sfnp|Behrens|Klein|1998|p=343-345}} An example of the usage of "Ninegal" as an epithet can be found in the text designated as [https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section4/tr4074.htm Hymn to Inana as Ninegala (Inana D)] in the [[Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature|ETCSL]].
;[[Ninisina]]: A special case of syncretism was that between the medicine goddess Ninisina and Inanna, which occurred for political reasons.{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=86}} Isin at one point lost control over [[Uruk]] and identification of its tutelary goddess with Inanna (complete with assigning a similar warlike character to her), who served as a source of royal power, was likely meant to serve as a theological solution of this problem.{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=86}} As a result, in a number of sources Ninisina was regarded as analogous to similarly named Ninsianna, treated as a manifestation of Inanna.{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=86}} It is also possible that a ceremony of "sacred marriage" between Ninisina and the king of Isin had been performed as a result.{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=270}} 
;[[Ninsianna]]: A Venus deity of varying gender.{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=92-93}} Ninsianna was referred to as male by [[Rim-Sîn I|Rim-Sin of Larsa]] (who specifically used the phrase "my king") and in texts from Sippar, Ur, and Girsu, but as "Ishtar of the stars" in god lists and astronomical texts, which also applied Ishtar's epithets related to her role as a personification of Venus to this deity.{{sfnp|Heimpel|1998|p=487-488}} In some locations Ninsianna was also known as a female deity, in which case her name can be understood as "red queen of heaven".{{sfnp|Asher-Greve|Westenholz|2013|p=86}}
;[[Pinikir]]: Originally an [[Elam#Religion|Elamite]] goddess, recognised in Mesopotamia, and as a result among [[Hurrians]] and [[Hittites]], as an equivalent of Ishtar due to similar functions. She was identified specifically as her astral aspect ([[Ninsianna]]) in god lists.{{sfnp|Beckman|1999|p=27}}  In a Hittite ritual she was identified by the logogram <sup>d</sup>IŠTAR and [[Shamash]], [[Suen]] and [[Ningal]] were referred to as her family; [[Enki]] and Ishtar's [[sukkal]] were invoked in it as well.{{sfnp|Beckman|2002|p=37-39}}  in Elam she was a goddess of love and sex{{sfnp|Abdi|2017|p=10}} and a heavenly deity ("mistress of heaven").{{sfnp|Henkelman|2008|p=266}}  Due to syncretism with Ishtar and Ninsianna Pinikir was referred to as [[Genderfluid|both a female and male deity]] in Hurro-Hittite sources.{{sfnp|Beckman|1999|p=25-27}}
;[[Šauška]]: Her name was frequently written with the logogram <sup>d</sup>IŠTAR in Hurrian and Hittite sources, while Mesopotamian texts recognised her under the name "Ishtar of [[Subartu]]".{{sfnp|Beckman|1998|p=1-3}} Some elements peculiar to her were associated with the Assyrian hypostasis of Ishtar, Ishtar of Nineveh, in later times.{{sfnp|Beckman|1998|p=7-8}} Her handmaidens [[Ninatta and Kulitta]] were incorporated into the circle of deities believed to serve Ishtar in her temple in [[Assur|Ashur]].{{sfnp|Frantz-Szabó|1983|p=304}}{{sfnp|Wilhelm|1989|p=52}}